Comfort and Joy
by CharmyPI-5 the VIII
Summary: In the late 1800's, Leo just got back from his tour across the world for three years with his brother Usagi intime for Christmas. Now he has to adapt to the role he missed more then anything


A/n i think i'm gettign addicted to A-U's, cause this is a all new one just a christmas fic. Its based on this other idea i had abotu New Zealand in teh 1800's after the end of the Civil War.

also Usagi deserves WAY more attention then he's gotten so far

my gawd

i think i'm becoming a A-U monster

* * *

Leo dipped the pen back into the dark ink. The tip scratching over his parchment, one of the endless documents he had been assigned to fill out. Words coming together to form a boring but rather well put letter to the Governor. Telling of his various acquisitions and travels. His free hand releasing his empty mug to roll over his scalp and touch the knot of his mask. He could remember the looks he had gotten from the various people he had met, but eventually their eyes would fall off of his mask and to the faint lines that marked where his scars used to live over his green skin. They alone earned him a warriors respect. His white shirt was untucked and unbuttoned. Even though he was unused to the cold that came with South Island of New Zealand. Sure America and Britain were cold. And his homeland of Japan definitely had people putting on extra socks, but if his garb said anything. He was no longer in Japan.

And it hadn't been his homesteaded in many years

"Isn't that enough work for one night, brother?"

Leo glanced over to the archway of his fathers house where his adopted brother , Usagi stood. Two large cups in his hands, Leo was already catching a whiff of chocolate and mint that made him smile, "Hot chocolate Usagi?"

"As is the tradition for this time of year. Especially if you insist on working all night on Christmas eve."

"Work is work." though Leo found himself looking over to the large Christmas tree. No doubt cut down by his 18 year old brother Raphael and decorated by their little brothers. Mounds of gifts under the tree, including 6 added ones (more clumsily wrapped) for him and Usagi "I don't really have a choice in the matter."

"Of course you do, all of this could wait until December 26th."

"If I get this work done tonight, I can spend my day tomorrow wrestling with Raph, keeping Mikey paced through tearing through his presents and making sure Donnie takes his medicine."

"You have my help for all those things. You forget who has to keep Raphael from the eggnog. I am perfectly capable of making Donatello taking his medicine, I lived here too do not forget that."

"Sorry." Leo smiled lightly" I forget my brother is also my best friend." which seemed to be what Usagi wanted to hear. For he smiled and surrendered the mug to him. Leo took it to his lips for a moment, "And you didn't forget the small white chocolate syrup.'

"How could I forget? For a 21 year old man who can down stale ale on a rocking ship, you are very particular about what goes into your beverages meant for children." Usage took one of the chairs headrests and pulled the it out to slide in, "I supposed all I can do is help."

"Old habits. And your help would be appreciated."

After a while, Leo found his eyes going back up to the walls. In the three years that he had left it looked like they had only changed out the furniture. The only real difference was the large military portraits of himself and the one of Usagi. Despite the amount of years that had gone by, he found himself aching for the simplicity of their old home, "do you ever miss Japan Usagi?"

"That I do." A small sigh escaped his brothers lips. Usagi drawing away from their stacks of work to rest his current paper on his resting knee, " not so say I do not enjoy the life we have here. Being your subordinate has brought me many joys and experiences I would not of had otherwise-"

Leo lowered the parchment with a sigh of irritation. This conversation again, "You're my brother, my equal. Rank means nothing to me so I wish you would stop calling yourself my subordinate."

"Rank means everything in our line of work. And its only because of you I've been promoted as often as I had. I would of never gotten as far without you there. I'm not even sure what would of happened to your brothers had you not made the sacrifices you had."

Leo sighed again, reaching for the paper he had been working on when his eyes fell on his rolled back sleeves, the light catching the grooves on his arms. Phantom scars that ran up and down to his elbow. They were not injuries he had earned on the ships or fighting for his life. They were earned in a close-minded classroom when he wrote in his native language or speaking in his own tongue. Though he had a pride that to this day he would find himself writing in the beautiful calligraphy that was his home or cussing angrily in his mothers language.

School had been hell.

It was a hell he would never put his little brothers through.

But when he looked back to fireplace and the way the light bounce off of the tree bulbs he found himself with smile on his face.

The sound of scraping wood caught his ear. Leo was already sitting straight in his chair, hand to the sheathed katana he kept by his chair. But Usagi was already on his feet his sword at his waist. His other hand up for Leo to stay before running out of the room. His socks barely whispering across the wood top floor. Leo grabbed the edge of the table with a hammering heart, puling himself up to his feet with his free hand reaching for the cane he had on the A stabbing pain going through his knee, the next to useless limb giving out under him and he found himself hitting the ground hard. His forearm cushioning head from hitting too hard. He panted heavily, squeezing his eyes shut before looking back to his leg. Damaged.

Anger

Regret

Cripple

Useless

Leo forced back his angry growl. His hand curling over the tables edge, all but dragging himself back into the chain, wiping the angry sweat off his brow. If he didn't think it would make things worse, he would of hit his useless leg.

The sound of footsteps caught his ears again. Usagi's' heavy footsteps, no longer quiet steps of a soldier. A small light pair of footsteps accompanying him. Definitely not the footsteps of a assassin or large thief. The anger that had filled him began to go away and a smile grew in its place as Usagi walked in, his arm around a eleven year old leaning his head against Usagi's side tiredly. Wearing larges clothes over his frail form, and a purple mask loose around his neck and rubbing half closed, sleepy eyes, "Hey there Donnie, what are you doing up?"

"I-I felt a tickle in my throat and I didn't have any of my medicine at my bedside."

"Why didn't you get Raph? Or you could of called for me or Usagi-"

"Raph and Mikey were asleep right next to me. And you guys weren't' in your rooms."

OH shit. Leo had to fight to keep from twitching, but he kept his smile anyway, "Did you get your medicine?"

"Big Brother got it for me." Leo could see Donnie lean more of his weight on their adopted brother. It was nice to see that Donnie still thought of Usagi as their brother. He could tell it made Usagi happy too by the way his free hand rubbed Don's scalp lovingly.

"did you take it all?

"Yeah I promise."

"Good boy." Leo couldn't help but hold his hand out to him. Dons young face lighting up before walking over, putting his smaller hands into Leos. Allowing Leo to pull him up onto his lap, hugging him tightly with his cheek resting on Don's scalp as his brother cuddled into his chest, "Look how much you've grown. When I held you three years ago I could carry you on one shoulder." though , to be honest, ,he had been hoping Don would of grown more. Maybe even maybe weighed a bit more. But it was obvious now as it was then that Donnie would never get very big. Even now, Mikey had surpassed him on height

"I tried," Donnie's face red with pride, "I-I-I'm not hurting your leg am I?"

"Nah, my leg hasn't hurt in a long time Otouto. Don't worry about it."

"Otouto, that means little brother right?"

"In a sense, yes." Leo couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, but he peered down at his brother," Don't you remember that? I used to call you that all the time-"

The smile all but slid off Dons face, his head tucked back under chin in a obvious act of remorse," I'm sorry."

"Hey why are you apologizing? Its just a word. Since you could quote the entirety of Cicero's work when I left, its ok that you forgot a simple word." mentally hitting his head against a wall for making his little brother feel that way. Especially when he saw Donnie twiddle his thumbs in a way Leo recognized. It was no mood for a 11 year old boy on Christmas eve to be in. He looked over to Usagi ,who had resat himself, and smiled weakly before reaching over and taking the cup into his free hand before putting it into Don's hands "why don't we get that bad medicine taste out of your mouth."

"Leonardo, I do not think it is best to give a eleven year old chocolate before bed."

"Its ok Usagi, besides he's shaking." Leo made a small face to Usagi before lowering his head next to Donnie's (who was now sipping out of the cocoa cup), "See? This is why I'm your favorite big brother."

"I have three big brothers. I'm not allowed to have favorites."

"Of course you cant. That's why the fact I'm yours is a big secret. Only you and I know."

"And Usagi."

"Right." he looked over to Usagi ,who looked back with a amused smile on his face, "Either we lock him in basement or we can swear him to secrecy." He adopted a loud hushed voice as though trying to hide a secret before using the same tone right next to Dons ear, "I vote we lock him in the basement with bad cheese and leave for Antarctica before anyone finds out."

A shy laugh escaped Dons mouth, "_No."_

"No? Well I guess I could lock you _both _in the basement."

"OR I could swear myself to secrecy." Usagi said loudly giving them another smile, "Which I solemnly do."

"Good!" Leo smiled, he wasn't used to joking in such a way, but he couldn't help it. Especially listening to Donnie giggle lightly.

He missed hearing his little brother laugh

"Hey, Usagi, we have a few extra mince Mikey said he made a few months ago right? He told me about it, can you bring us one please?"

"Of course, I might even grab one for myself." Usagi gave them another smile, "Just please don't' lock me in the basement." he asked with fake humility before walking out of the room. Leo gave him a smile before resting back against the back of his chair, looking down on his little brother's scalp, "You falling asleep Otouto?"

Don shook his head absentmindedly trying to sip out of his empty cocoa mug,, "No, I'm not sleepy. You made me go to bed earlier when me and Mikey were having our snowball fight, remember?"

"You were coughing a lot and your forehead was warm. I thought it was best you take your rest."

"I know I know, but now its hard to sleep." Don cuddled closer to his chest,

"Don't worry about it, just think about that mince pie. We can split it like we used to."

"I think I remember that." a beak buried itself into his shoulder, "I defiantly remember this."

"I'd hope so." Leo hugged him tighter, putting one of his legs up to rest it on the table, the chair resting back on its back legs, "Everyday when I got home, I'd pour us some milk and you'd climb up on my lap while I did my home wok and tell you about my day." Leo reached out towards the fire. The heat going into his hands before reaching back over and placing his warmed hand on the back of Dons neck. He could already feel the warmth going through him, his small form relaxing. "Sometimes you'd even fall asleep on my lap, with your hand gripping mine so tightly."

"Well I couldn't go to school remember? You Usagi, Mikey, and Raph would leave me behind while I stayed home"

"We didn't want to Otouto. But me and father thought it best for you to stay home with a tutor. Bevause of your health And that worked for you, right?"

"I guess, they're gone now."

"Gone?" Leo looked away from the hypnotizing tree to his brother again "What do you mean?"

"Raph found out he hit me with a ruler and knocked him out for 5 days.""

"What!? Why didn't you tell me-"

"You got back two days ago. What was I supposed to say?"

Leo took a breath. The smell of peppermint filled his nose from the empty hot cocoa mug he had given Donnie. He wrapped his arms tighter around his brother before lifting his foot up to rest on the table then the other one, his chair tilting back, he could feel Donnie's beak go deeper into his shoulder.

Three years ago, Donnie would have been running to him. He would have had his face in Leos stomach, confessing the burdens of his heart. He would go to Leo long before he went to their father. It was a show of there bond.

Maybe that's why his chest hurt.

There was a small pause. Leo closed his eyes. He could remember all but running up the stairs up to the large house that his family lived in, snow making the stone steps slippery ,his bad knee going out from under his foot and hitting the ground. Usagi asked him if he was alright. But he could barely hear him, his hand was already on the door, opening it.

The decorations had changed , the portrait that was their family had been taken down, but he barely noticed that either, all but running to stand in the room entrance, deep gasps going from his lungs.

the tree lit up, the fireplace causing the bulbs to shimmer over the room. The couches had been rearranged in his absence. the form of Raphael kneeling by the fire to toss another piece of wood into it, Mikey and Donnie cuddled together on the couch, wrapped up in the same blanket. The conversation that had been going on shushed immediately. all eyes on him. Then slow motion filled reality. the disbelief in Raph's eyes, the confusion in Mikey's.

But in Don's?

Delight

Happiness.

his light brown eyes lit up to almost dinner plates. He was already out of his cocoon, his mug hitting the ground with a shatter. It wasn't second later that Raph and Mikey were already up. Leo could of counted each and every one of Mikey's teeth (except for the three he was missing).

Leo had dropped his bags and the packages he had wrapped their presents in, Donnie, though he had been on the other side of Mikey had reached him first so he was already crossing the floor. Leo remember catching Donnie and Mikey around the chests, hugging them both right off their feet. Mikey was already laughing wildly, hugging him and babbling. the weight almost sending him flying to the ground had Usagi and Raph not been there to catch him. He was laughing so hard, but then he felt his one of his younger brothers begin to shake, fingers twisting into his jacket That's when he realized something else.

Donnie had been crying the whole time. His beak buried into Leos shoulder clinging to him with almost desperation.

It was enough to break his heart.

"Did you miss us while you were at sea Aniki?"

Leos lips quivered lightly, before tucking Dons scalp back under his chin. He didn't know if it was because Donnie called him Aniki or because of his question., "Yeah course I did. I looked forward to every letter you sent me and I kept them all."

Dons eyes, cast fallen from talking about his tutors lit up ever so slightly. Though Leo didn't mention that those letters were soaking wet and currently laid out across his room.

Last night, he had woken up to Donnie sleeping soundly leaning against his bed. He remember smiling and carrying the child back to his own bed, in the room he shared with Mikey. Leo had decided then it was best he stay there, so he pulled a book off of Dons shelf and sat down right next to Don's bed, flipping through the pages. Up until he saw Don stir, then he left the room to make breakfast.

He didn't want to make his little brother uncomfortable.

But now?

Leo looked over to the desk. A small package wrapped in brown paper, he had been hoping Donnie wouldn't ask about. He had already gotten most of their gifts under the tree (all from his travels). But this was the last gift he had to wrap

Except now?

He felt like challenging father Christmas

Leo took the empty mug from Don's hands and reached over to the table, setting the mug down and taking up the small wrapped parcel, and putting it on Don's lap, "Why don't you open this?"

The 11 year old's eyes widen, looking from the package to him, "B-but it-its not-not Christmas yet-"

"Ten minutes till. Don't worry about it."

"B-But Mikey can hear a p-present opening a m-mile away."

"Then open it _quietly."_

Donnie bit his lip, Leo could of almost pinched his cheeks for being so innocent before his light olive fingers carefully undid the string and began to unfold the paper away. Leo looked at the doorway to make sure that Mikey wasn't coming to investigate (maybe find out why Usagi wasn't back yet with those mince pies) before he heard Donnie gasp, causing a mile to grow across his face, "I knew you'd like it."

"Ho-how did you even g-get this?!"

"I was on location, me and Usagi were helping out during their war and I knew a guy."

"B-B-B-" light brown eyes fell on the books on his lap, slightly worn but the eyes gazed upon them as though they were lost treasures, "L-Le Miserables was banned by the Church. A-and L-Leaves of Grass wa-was too-"

"Like I said, I knew some guys. I got you Madam Bovary too. But I think I'll hold onto it till your older." Leo almost regretted opening that books pages. He heard a small sniff and looked down in time to have a face go to his chest. He felt warm liquid spreading from the spot of pressure, "Whoa hey." Leo wrapped his arms around Donnie again" its alright, don't' get upset I promise you have other gifts under the tree-"

"I-I rea-really m-m-missed y-you Leo. S-So much." a small sob escaping him, "E-every-d-day-"

Leo closed his eyes, his forehead bumped onto the top of Dons scalp. His voice becoming soft, "I missed you too Otouto. I'm going to be here everyday. I'll be here when you wake up, when you go to bed. When you're happy, when you're scared, when you're angry." His arms tightening around him, "When you get too big to sit on my knee, when you get married and have millions of little geniuses running around." He took a deep breath, "Y-you're never going to be too old to sit on my knee, Or to cry in my should-" a small snore caught his ears. He blinked before noticing Donnie's eyes closed sleeping soundly against his shoulder. Leo couldn't help but smile. He rewrapped his arms over his baby brother before looking out the window. Watching the snow falling outside. His hand absent mindedly rubbing Dons arm up and down

"Do you remember the day we left?"

Leo looked up to see Usagi walk back in. a mince cake on a plate and a quilt pulled over his forearm, the adopted brother walking over. Setting the plate on the table before unfolding the blanket. Leo released his arms enough for Usagi to pull the thick blanket over him, Leo nodded his thanks before refolding his arms over the blanket, "Yeah, I do."

"Raphael was distant, all he could give us was a handshake. Mikey was only 7 at the time, he was sad, but I don't think he understood how long we were going to be gone. And Donatello." he paused

But Leo picked it back up ,"He was convinced if he didn't let me go then I couldn't leave. His arms were so tight around my neck. I can still remember feeling his face in my neck. His endless tears, begging me not to go. It took Raph and Splinter to get me free. I got on my ship, telling myself not to look back. "

"We both know you did. But its understandable, you were the only mother your little brothers knew."

Leo nodded it was the only was to describe his relationship with his brother, "I kept looking back, even as Raph carried Donnie away, he had cried himself into a coughing spell. I tried to grab the wheel, I was ready to turn the ship around right then and there. You grabbed my arm, and you kept me going forward. It was hardest thing I ever had to do. It was hard to keep the tears down. In every country we visited, over every sea, every battle, every voyage, every meal, every second I was in a personal hell imagining what was happening here. I kept imaging our father dying, Michelangelo being taken away, Raph in prison. Don-: Leo took a deep breath, "Dons body in a coffin" He hugged Don even tighter, "I came home to my father in a hospital. Raph working for the magistrate. Mikey in school, a art student." Leo shook his head, "A good art student. And Donnie," a sigh, "Being hit by his teachers ."

""And what can you do to help? As a government man?"

Leo thought for a moment, his head hitting off the back of chair before taking a breath. It took him a bit to realize he had started to rock Donnie gently, "I can write up a plan, a day planner of things he should study until I get home, he can recite it to me then. That way he has the freedom in learning he deserves-"

"Leonardo?"

"yeah Usagi?"

"You have always told me I could be honest with you. If that is still the case then may I please ask you not to lactate on your brother."

Leo put his hand over his mouth in a meaningless attempt to choke his laughter off. Hitting his head back against the headrest. Hand going over Dons uncovered ear, even though his shaking laughter going through his whole body. He grabbed one of the pillows by his chair and all but hurled it at Usagi, who stepped out of the was with a smart smile on his face, "Now government official Admiral Hamoto Leonardo, I believe it is now officially Christmas. Your first Christmas with your brothers, who missed you dearly. Now I believe it is time for eggnog to celebrate your promotion and good fortunes."

"Our good fortunes old friend." Leo raised Don's empty hot cocoa mug in a gesture

They were able to toast later with real mugs, going back to work until Leo himself fell asleep with his cheek resting on Don's scalp/ After which Usagi took the metal pen from him to take upon himself the task of finishing off the papers before drifting off himself.

The next morning The sleeping group all but knocked out of their chair by a incoming 10 year old. Raph right behind him with Donnie's medicine. The family gathered around the lit tree. Mikey designated Leo Father Christmas. Gathering around, Mikey bouncing around the tree while Donnie had his nose in 'Le Miserables' all snuggled with Raph's arm around his tiny shoulders. Later on, Donnie and Leo would split their mince cakes while Mikey passed out from 'Christmas overdrive." Don's head would end up right back on Leos lap.

he had left his homeland.

he had watched his mother die on the voyage.

he watches their fathers health deteriorate

he had become a role model to his younger brothers

he had put up with a school that didn't understand where he came from

hee left for three years, to travel all over the world for the military

he had missed three years of the lives of his little brothers, who he had sworn to protect

and he was never going to leave them again

* * *

The end!

also, did you knwo that Le mis, Lady Bovare, and Leaves of Grass were all banned? I ovef all the research I did for this, it was fun! It was a History Major paradise

Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!


End file.
